"Yunel Escobar is, shall we say, a different sort of Brave. He has blond highlights in his hair. He doesn't always pay attention. He has a temper and is given to the sulks. He has yet to respond to the gentle urgings of Bobby Cox, which have become less gentle over time.

According to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, the Braves "are willing to trade Escobar for a good hitter right now." (Link requires registration.) But I don't think they will. Nor do I believe they should. Because Yunel Escobar is a different sort of Brave in another way:

He can really hit. And he can really play.

The Braves have become so skilled at siphoning off higher-maintenance types that they have lesser tolerance for one than do, say, the Yankees or the Dodgers. But sometimes a higher level of maintenance isn't just needed but advisable. Some guys are worth the trouble. John Rocker was not. Yunel Escobar is.

He's a great talent who comes with an inherent disconnect. He doesn't speak much English. (He's from Cuba.) When Cox seeks to instruct Escobar in the need to pay closer attention, he has to converse through coach Chino Cadahia. That isn't the optimum method.

But you know what? If big-league rosters were comprised of 25 Ozzie Smiths, you wouldn't need managers or coaches. Sometimes a little instruction is needed, sometimes even a lot of instruction

The Braves have this problem, the past two nights notwithstanding. (As bad as the Braves are at hitting, the Phillies are worse at pitching.) They can't hit much, and they, as constituted, aren't apt to hit much. At worst, Escobar is the third-best hitter on the club. If the Braves trade him, they'd have to get Matt Holliday or Brad Hawpe or Adam Dunn in return."